By Syd Tash
I have repeated countless times never to shop online or give sensitive, personal information from a public computer. Not ever. No matter what security precautions you think you have taken. I stand by that advice.
But what if you are using your own laptop at a wireless hot spot? This is somewhat better, but there are still dangers. Follow these minimum steps:
1. Make sure all your security programs are up to date, including Windows (especially including Vista). You do have a full suite of security programs, right? If not, get them!
At a minimum, you should have an anti-virus program, a firewall, and two anti-spyware programs. A spyware blocker tool is also very useful, since it is always better to prevent a problem, rather than have to deal with it later.
A custom HOSTS file is good to have as well, since it will keep you away from known bad and dangerous sites, and help protect you from spyware. Do a search at a search engine for a good one.
If you have never used one before, it may seem complicated at first glance. It is not. Take the time to read and understand it.
It is a good idea to update and run all your security scans before going to the hot spot, so you know your laptop is clean to begin with.
2. Before giving sensitive info online, check that you are on a site that begins with https://... and you see a gold padlock on the lower right of your screen (upper right in IE7).
The s means secure and encrypted, although this is not foolproof. Criminal sites can be encrypted also, but this is rare.
When you want to go to the site of your bank, PayPal, broker, utility company, credit card company, etc. you must type the address in your browser yourself. Do not simply click on a link in an email; you could end up at a phishing (fake) site. Do not even copy and paste an address from an email. For that matter, email is not secure at all, so never send sensitive information in an email.
3. Disable file sharing, so no one can peek into your shared folders. Click Start, Control Panel, Network Connections. Right-click your connection and click Properties.
Select the Networking tab and clear the checkbox marked File and Printer Sharing for Microsoft Networks. Click OK and restart your computer.
4. Change your passwords every month or two. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters, if you can.
Do not use anything that can easily be guessed, such as your favorite restaurant, nearby college, the name of your dog, your name, birth date, street where you live, etc. Do not use the same password for all your sites.
5. Finally, here are some low-tech but important tips. Watch behind and around you! Before entering IDs or passwords, look around and make sure no one is watching you.
Check your bank and credit card statements carefully, as soon as they arrive. If anything looks wrong or unusual, contact the company immediately.
Restrict the number of people who use your laptop at home and at the office. The more people who use it, the less control you have over it, and the greater the chance that something bad will happen.
Give other users limited or guest accounts. This will restrict their activities on your machine, and prevent them from downloading anything. To set up additional accounts, click Start, Control Panel, User Accounts.
If you often connect at wireless hot spots, print out this article, and slip it into your laptop carrying case. Review it regularly. Happy (and safe!) surfing.
Syd Tash is a noted security consultant and author of "How to Protect Your
Computer from Daily Internet Threats". He has been keeping surfers safe since
the last century. For more popular free Daily Tips
and info to keep you safe online, http://info4u.vze.com and bookmark it!
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